Innocent Project

The Innocence Project, founded in 1992 by Peter Neufeld and Barry Scheck at Cardozo School of Law, exonerates the wrongly convicted through DNA testing and reforms the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice.

The Innocence Project’s mission is to free the staggering number of innocent people who remain incarcerated, and to bring reform to the system responsible for their unjust imprisonment.

Convicted Despite DNA: The Juan Rivera Case

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15 mrt 2010

Help Free Juan Rivera. Contribute online here: https://nualumni.org/donate/cwc

In May of 2009, Juan Rivera was convicted for a third time for the 1992 rape and murder of 11-year-old Holly Staker in Lake County, Illinois, despite new DNA evidence that excluded him as the source of semen found in the victims body. Rivera is currently appealing his case. To learn more about Rivera’s wrongful conviction, go to http://www.law.northwestern.edu/cwc/

Video by John Maki
Music by Nathan Urdangen

The key points of The Innocence Project can be summarized as follows:

  1. Founded in 1992 by Peter Neufeld and Barry Scheck at Cardozo School of Law, The Innocence Project is a nonprofit organization that works to exonerate wrongly convicted individuals through DNA testing.

  2. The Innocence Project aims to reform the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice.

  3. The organization provides pro bono legal and investigative services to individuals who have been convicted of crimes they did not commit and who have exhausted their appeals.

  4. The Innocence Project has helped to exonerate over 375 individuals in the United States, some of whom had been on death row.

  5. The organization also works to promote policies and practices that increase the reliability and fairness of the criminal justice system, such as improving eyewitness identification procedures and reducing the use of unreliable forensic science.

  6. The Innocence Project collaborates with law enforcement agencies, policymakers, and other stakeholders to achieve systemic change in the criminal justice system.

Overall, The Innocence Project is dedicated to promoting justice and fairness in the criminal justice system by exonerating the wrongly convicted and advocating for reforms that can prevent future injustices.

1 How DNA Changed the World of Forensics | Retro Report | The New York Times

20 mei 2014

Before DNA testing, prosecutors relied on less sophisticated forensic techniques, including microscopic hair analysis, to put criminals behind bars. But how reliable was hair analysis?
 
Produced by: Retro Report Read the story here: http://nyti.ms/1jwyfLt

2 Conversations with History: Barry Scheck

 

25 apr. 2008

Barry Scheck; Professor of Law, Yeshiva University, and Co-Director of the Innocence Project, joins Conversations with History host Harry Kreisler in a discussion of DNA evidence and the impact of science on the criminal justice system. Series: “Conversations with History” [5/2004] [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 8379]
 
 
IMPORTANT CONTENT

3 The Divide: New show based on career of O.J. Simpson’s attorney, Barry Scheck

Gepubliceerd op 15 jul. 2014

 
After working on the O.J. Simpson trial, Barry Scheck made headlines working on the Innocence Project. His real life legal battles have inspired a television drama called “The Divide.” He and executive producer and co-creator Tony Goldwyn join the “CBS This Morning” co-hosts.

4 Eye To Eye: Barry Scheck (CBS News)

CBS

 

Gepubliceerd op 24 apr. 2007

 
For nearly 20 years, Barry Scheck has been using DNA evidence to help exonerate the wrongfully accused. He talks with Bryon Pitts about his work. (CBSNews.com)

5 Innocence Project

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9 jul. 2009

The Innocence Project uses DNA evidence to help exonerate wrongfully convicted people. In this interview, co-founder Barry Scheck talks about his work and reforms needed in the justice system to help prevent wrongful convictions.
 
IMPORTANT VIDEO


BOOKMARK

6 Barry Scheck & Kevin Richardson: “Innocence Project” | Talks at Google

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4 okt. 2017

Co-Founder Barry Scheck speaks about The Innocence Project with Kevin Richardson, one of the men wrongly convicted in the Central Park Five case.

The Innocence Project, which is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary, was founded by acclaimed lawyers Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld who realized that the emerging DNA evidence that was being used to identify the perpetrators of crimes could also be used to exonerate those who had been wrongly convicted. The organization began as a legal clinic at Cardozo Law School and became an independent nonprofit (still affiliated with Cardozo) in 2004. Since its founding, 351 people have been exonerated by DNA evidence of crimes for which they didn’t commit. The Innocence Project has helped in more than half of these cases.

The Innocence Project understood early on that each wrongful conviction was a learning opportunity, exposing flaws in the system that contributed to these terrible injustices. It advocates for science- and research-based reforms to prevent wrongful convictions. The organization has worked to pass more than a hundred state laws designed to reveal and protect against wrongful convictions, including laws that protect against eye witness misidentifications and false confessions, leading contributors to wrongful convictions.

Co-Founder Barry Scheck will talk about his groundbreaking work to disrupt the status quo of the criminal justice system and introduce you to a person helped by the Innocence Project who will share his story of perseverance on the long road to justice.

7 How the Innocence Project Decides to Take a Case

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14 jun. 2011

New videos DAILY: https://bigth.ink/youtube
Join Big Think Edge for exclusive videos: https://bigth.ink/Edge
 

8 Barry Scheck Speaks On The Netflix Series, “The Innocent Man”

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15 jan. 2019

Founder of The Innocence Project, attorney Barry Scheck, join BUILD to discuss “The Innocent Man.” The series focuses on two murders and four wrongful convictions in the 80’s in Ada, Oklahoma – highlighting the miscarriages of justice in this small town – a tragedy that still permeates the town. From coerced confessions and mishandling of evidence to crime scene snafus and false eyewitness accounts, the series exposes how bias – conscious and unconscious – can change the course of the lives of both the victims and the accused.
 
BUILD is a live interview series like no other—a chance for fans to sit inches away from some of today’s biggest names in entertainment, tech, fashion and business as they share the stories behind their projects and passions. Every conversation yields insights, inspiration and plenty of surprises as moderators and audience members ask questions. It all happens several times a day live and live-streamed on BUILDseries.com.

9 Evening With Michael Morton and Barry Scheck

1 okt. 2014

Michael Morton, author of “Getting Life,” and Barry Scheck, co-founder and co-director of the Innocence Project, share Morton’s remarkable story of tragedy, injustice, and forgiveness with Friends members at the LBJ Presidential Library on September 30, 2014. Morton was exonerated on October 4, 2011 after spending nearly 25 years in a Williamson County prison after being wrongly convicted of the murder of his wife.

10 Innocence Project Co-Director Comments On Developments In O.J. Simpson Case

23 mrt. 2016

Barry Scheck, co-director of the Innocence Project and former member O.J. Simpson’s defense team, reacts to the latest news that a knife was found at Simpson’s property a few years after the murder of his wife and her friend, but only recently turned over to the police.
 
Watch our full interview with Scheck: http://bit.ly/1Zpzs8K

11 Overturning 258 Wrongful Convictions (And Counting)

14 jun. 2011

New videos DAILY: https://bigth.ink/youtube
Join Big Think Edge for exclusive videos: https://bigth.ink/Edge
 
IMPORTANT VIDEO
 
All kind of people were lying

12 Barry Scheck co-founder of The Innocence Project: Talks at GS

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27 feb. 2014

Barry Scheck is the co-founder of The Innocence Project, which helps exonerate wrongfully convicted individuals in the US through DNA testing.

13 The Death Penalty Debate

14 aug. 2012

Did you know that the costs of continuing the death penalty in California could cost the state a billion dollars over the next 5 years? Watch this video to see Innocence Project Director Barry Scheck dissect the costs and arguments against capital punishment.

14 The Death Penalty Debate

31 jan. 2019

Prof. Robert Blecker and Prof. Stephen Greenwald from either side of the death penalty debate presenting their arguments. This video was produced for Lesson 2 of Crime and Consequence, a course by the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute.

15 “The Innocence Project: Reflections on Wrongful Imprisonment”

27 mrt. 2012

Wednesday, March 14, 2012 “The Innocence Project: Reflections on Wrongful Imprisonment” Guest Speakers: Mr. Fernando Bermudez and Olga Akselrod, Innocence Project Staff Attorney Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” tells the story of Tom Robinson, a man convicted of a crime he did not commit. Although Lee’s story takes place in the deep south in the 1930s, wrongful imprisonment continues today all over the world. Join us as Mr. Fernando Bermudez tells us how he was wrongly convicted of murder and spent 18 years in prison. Also joining us will be Olga Akselrod, staff attorney at the Innocence Project, a national litigation public policy organization dedicated to exonerating wrongfully convicted individuals through DNA testing and reforming the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice. 1:10 pm to 3:00 pm M136
 
VERY IMPORTANT VIDEO: content
 
Fernando at minute 36 
 

40 minutes listened to

 

BOOKMARK

16 Charlie Rose – Barry Scheck & Peter Neufeld about the O.J. Simpson Trial

11 apr. 2015

An interview with Barry Scheck & Peter Neufeld about the O.J. Simpson Trial. (November 1, 1996)

17 Conversations with History: Peter Neufeld

8 feb. 2008

(Visit: http://www.uctv.tv) Leading criminal attorney Peter Neufeld joins host Harry Kreisler to discuss the criminal justice system in America and his new book, Actual Innocence: Five Days to Execution and Other Dispatches from the Wrongly Convicted. Series: “Conversations with History” [3/2003] [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 7063]

18 The True Story Behind “Conviction”

16 nov. 2010

When Kenny Waters was convicted of a murder he didn’t commit, his sister Betty Anne Waters promised to help overturn his conviction and set him free. She put herself through college and law school and worked with the Innocence Project to obtain the DNA tests that finally proved Kenny’s innocence. Their story is the subject of the film “Conviction.” Learn more about the movie and the work of the Innocence Project at http://bit.ly/cLagqg

19 IL Innocence Project wins release of Decatur man

24 nov. 2016

A Decatur man walked free from the Macon County Courthouse on November 23, 2016, thanks to the efforts of the Illinois Innocence Project (IIP) at the University of Illinois Springfield. Newly discovered DNA evidence proves that Charles Palmer did not commit the 1998 murder of William Helmbacher.

20 California Innocence Project – Release of Timothy Atkins

23 jul. 2010

Channel 10’s coverage of the release of Timothy Atkins in 2007. Atkins spent 23 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit. To find out more, please visit our website at www.californiainnocenceproject.org
 
IMPORTANT CONTENT

21 John Grisham discusses “The Innocent Man”

 

21 mei 2008

Author John Grisham discusses his book “The Innocent Man” at the Innocence Project’s Annual Benefit. The video opens with Exoneree Dennis Fritz dancing with the mother of the murder victim in the case for which he was wrongfully convicted. Music by Jonathan Batiste.

22 Igniting Change: Lessons from the Innocence Movement | Lara Zarowsky | TEDxUofW

21 jun. 2016

Lara Zarowsky discusses how false convictions arise and their considerable negative impact. She also speaks on her personal work with the Innocence Project Northwest and how to create policy change in criminal justice.
 
Lara Zarowsky serves as the Policy Director for Innocence Project Northwest (IPNW), a clinical law program at the University of Washington School of Law committed to freeing innocent prisoners in Washington State. Her work promotes systemic reforms to prevent wrongful convictions in Washington State, and to support the wrongly convicted following release. Lara is a faculty member at the University of Washington School of Law, where she founded IPNW’s Legislative Advocacy Clinic. A graduate of the Evergreen State College and University of Washington School of Law, Lara has held previous positions as a policy attorney for the Integrity of Justice Project, and as non-partisan staff to the Judiciary and Public Safety committees of the Washington State House of Representatives. Lara lectures nationally on innocence-related public policy reform and leads IPNW efforts to improve statewide practices.
 
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx
 
IMPORTANT CONTENT
 
What could go wrong

23 Why Innocent People Plead Guilty | Adnan Sultan | TEDxFurmanU

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18 mrt. 2018

The United States’ criminal justice system can be complicated. In this talk, Adnan Sultan, staff attorney for the Innocence Project, breaks down the complicated legal system and why innocent people plead guilty.
 
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
 

24 John Grisham on The Innocent Man

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Gepubliceerd op 4 jan. 2007

 
Watch a video interview with beloved crime writer John Grisham, author of bestsellers like The Firm and The Pelican Brief. Grisham appeared before our camera to discuss his first non-fiction book, The Innocent Man.

25 John Grisham talks new Netflix docuseries “The Innocent Man”

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Gepubliceerd op 8 dec. 2018

 
In the literary world, the names don’t get much bigger than John Grisham. The bestselling author is responsible for writing some of the most popular legal thrillers of the past 30 years including “A Time To Kill,” “The Firm,” and “The Pelican Brief.” In 2006, he wrote his first nonfiction book, “The Innocent Man,” about the murders of two women, the four men who were convicted and the questions raised over their guilt. Now, Netflix has turned the book into a six-part docuseries of the same name. Grisham joins “CBS This Morning: Saturday” to discuss what caught his eye about this particular case and why he’s drawn to stories about wrongful conviction.

26 The Innocence Project

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16 dec. 2014

Jonathan Barr. Marvin Anderson. Randy Mills. Benny Starks. Four men represented by the Innocence Project and exonerated by DNA evidence tell their uplifting stories about freedom from wrongful conviction.

27 Wrongful Convictions Special Part 2 of 6

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Gepubliceerd op 11 okt. 2010
 

Part 2 follows Frank Sterlings 18 years behind bars as an innocent man. New York has a disproportionate number of exposed wrongful convictions; more than 10 percent nationwide. Why are so many people getting wrongfully convicted and what’s being done about it? Legal Analyst Stone Grissom examines the issue of exonerations through the eyes of those who lived through it. Decades lost; families destroyed and a historic meeting as three exonerees meet for the very first time.

28 Saul Kassin: “False Confessions”

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Gepubliceerd op 7 sep. 2010

Saul Kassin discusses the remarkable phenomenon of false confessions in criminal investigations—which are far more common than one might expect. His research examines voluntary false confessions, as well as the influence of the interrogation setting, and the authority of the confession in the criminal justice system.

Professor Kassin is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

This interview is part of Vera’s Neil A. Weiner Research Speaker Series. For more information, please visit: http://www.vera.org/services/neil-wei…

The Vera Institute of Justice is an independent, nonprofit research and policy organization that combines expertise in research, demonstration projects, and technical assistance to help leaders in government and civil society improve the systems people rely on for justice and safety.

For more information about the Vera Institute of Justice, please visit: http://www.vera.org/

29 Wrongly convicted man set free

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Gepubliceerd op 25 jun. 2013
 

Uriah Courtney could not hold back the tears. After spending eight years in state prison for something he did not do, he was a free man.

30 VIDEO: Innocence Project

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Gepubliceerd op 21 mrt. 2017
 

Prisoner could get sentence overturned or get a new trial
Subscribe to KOAT on YouTube now for more: http://bit.ly/1jocB9r

31 Innocence Project

 

13 mei 2016

Two Tulsa men sentenced for life in prison for murder have been exonerated and are now free after spending more than 20 years in prison. The Oklahoma Innocence Project worked for five years to prove Malcom Scott and Demarco Carpenter innocent. The project received the case from private investigator Eric Cullen who believed in the men’s innocence. This story aired on the ONR on OETA-The Oklahoma Network. For more information, go to the ONR web site http://www.oeta.tv/programs/onr. For more about OETA-The Oklahoma Network, visit www.oeta.tv.

32 Northern California Innocence Project-Maurice Caldwell’s Story: Wrongfully Incarcerated for 20 years

Gepubliceerd op 26 mrt. 2012

 
On March 28, 2011, after more than 20 years in prison, Mr. Caldwell was released from San Francisco County Jail after San Francisco Superior Court Judge Charles Haines ordered him freed. Haines set aside Mr. Caldwell’s conviction December 2010, after NCIP lawyers demonstrated evidence of actual innocence and that Mr. Caldwell’s defense attorney at trial was incompetent. San Francisco County prosecutors subsequently decided to dismiss the charges against Mr. Caldwell. Read more on Maurice’s story here: http://law.scu.edu/ncip/exonerees.cfm http://law.scu.edu/ncip/

33 It Could Happen to Anyone: The Wrongful Conviction of Alan Beaman

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Gepubliceerd op 15 nov. 2009

 
On January 29, 2009, Alan Beaman, a client of the Center on Wrongful Convictions, was exonerated after spending almost 14 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Music by Kelly Beaman Video by John Maki

34 Case analyst Edwin Grimsley on a decade at the Innocence Project

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Gepubliceerd op 11 aug. 2016

35 Innocence Project

 

9 jul. 2009

The Innocence Project uses DNA evidence to help exonerate wrongfully convicted people. In this interview, co-founder Barry Scheck talks about his work and reforms needed in the justice system to help prevent wrongful convictions.
 
A plain crash or train derails

36 – 2013 Double Helix Medal Recipients – Barry C. Scheck and Peter J. Neufeld for the Innocence Project

Barry C. Scheck and Peter J. Neufeld were awarded the Double Helix Medal for their work incorporating Science and Criminal Justice to form the Innocence Project. The Innocence Project is responsible for helping prisoners wrongly accused of a crime be set free.

The key points of The Innocence Project are:

  1. Exoneration of the wrongly convicted: The Innocence Project aims to use DNA testing to prove the innocence of individuals who have been wrongly convicted of crimes.

  2. Criminal justice reform: The Innocence Project advocates for reforms in the criminal justice system to prevent future wrongful convictions. They work to improve the accuracy of eyewitness identification, reform forensic science, and ensure that the rights of defendants are protected.

  3. Legal assistance: The Innocence Project provides legal assistance to individuals who have been wrongly convicted and are seeking exoneration. They work to overturn wrongful convictions and help exonerated individuals rebuild their lives.

  4. Education and public awareness: The Innocence Project works to educate the public about issues related to wrongful convictions and criminal justice reform. They aim to raise awareness about the prevalence of wrongful convictions and the need for systemic change.

  5. Advocacy and policy reform: The Innocence Project engages in advocacy and policy reform efforts to promote criminal justice reform at the local, state, and national levels. They work with lawmakers, law enforcement, and other stakeholders to advance reforms that will prevent future wrongful convictions.

37 The Inmate Who Studied Law To Prove He Didn’t Commit Murder | Innocence Network | Absolute Crime

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25 mei 2022

On July 6, 2006, Alan Newton was exonerated of rape, robbery, and assault charges. He had asked for DNA testing in 1994, and his request was denied because evidence had been presumed to be lost. In 2005, at the Innocence Project’s request, the district attorney’s office found the rape kit after an exhaustive search. This is his story, plus the gruelling process that lawyers at the Innocence Project went through to secure his release.

Absolute Crime is your go-to channel for the best crime documentaries. Subscribe for your weekly dose of crime shows, serial killers, thieves and prison stories.

38 Alan Newton Interview – The Innocence Project

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9 mei 2007

Alan Newton was exonerated by DNA testing after serving 21 years in New York prisons for a crime he didn’t commit. He shares his experiences in this short interview. For more information, visit www.innocenceproject.org

39 Guilty til Proven Innocent -The Alan Newton Story

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On July 6, 2006, Alan Newton was exonerated of rape, robbery, and assault charges. He had asked for DNA testing in 1994, and his request was denied because evidence had been presumed to be lost. In 2005, at the Innocence Project’s request, the district attorney’s office found the rape kit after an exhaustive search. Post conviction DNA testing then proved that Newton was not the perpetrator of this crime.

40 Alan Newton – EYEWITNESS.INNOCENCEPROJECT.ORG

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41 Alan Newton – Panel Discussion – November 5, 2008

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20 jan 2021

42 Alan Newton – EYEWITNESS.INNOCENCEPROJECT.ORG

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28 mei 2013
 

43 Alan Newton – Forensic’s Science Project, March 29th 2023

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29 mrt 2023

Alan Newton was exonerated by DNA testing after serving 21 years in New York prisons for a crime he didn’t commit. The Innocence Project was instrumental in helping him prove his innocence. Here are some key points from his interview with the Innocence Project:

  1. Alan Newton was wrongfully convicted of rape and robbery in 1985 and was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

  2. During his trial, he maintained his innocence but was found guilty based on faulty eyewitness testimony.

  3. Over the years, Alan tried to get DNA testing done to prove his innocence, but his requests were denied.

  4. In 2005, with the help of the Innocence Project, DNA testing was finally conducted, and it proved his innocence.

  5. Alan was released from prison in 2006, after serving 21 years behind bars.

  6. Alan talks about the challenges he faced after his release, including adjusting to life outside of prison and dealing with the emotional trauma of being wrongfully convicted.

  7. He also shares his gratitude for the Innocence Project and their work to help exonerate wrongfully convicted individuals.

Overall, Alan’s story highlights the importance of DNA testing in proving innocence, as well as the crucial role that organizations like the Innocence Project play in helping those who have been wrongfully convicted.

43 The Robbery that Went Wrong: Teen Sentenced to Life (Crime Documentary) | Real Stories

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5 jun 2021

New Orleans, 1984. A young delinquent is killed accidentally by his accomplice during a robbery attempt. George Toca is his best friend. He is arrested, sentenced to life imprisonment and sent to the harshest penitentiary of Louisiana.

Based on stories from the innocence network, a worldwide organisation dedicated to exonerating the wrongfully convicted, this four-part series explores the investigations and the human cost: the emotional impact experienced by those convicted and their families.

Real Stories Tapes: True Crime is a brand new podcast hosted by Emmy-nominated TV host and true-crime obsessive Stephanie Bauer (Searching For…). It takes some of the most popular true-crime documentaries on your Real Stories channel and transforms them into riveting audio, meaning you can enjoy them wherever you listen to your podcasts. https://podfollow.com/real-stories-ta…

Content licensed from All3Media International. Any queries, please contact us at: owned-enquiries@littledotstudios.com

If you loved this film, Real Stories has hundreds more full-length documentaries, click the link to enjoy: http://bit.ly/1GOzpIu

44 Innocence Project: Investigating Wrongful Convictions


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24 mrt 2022 UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

Speakers: Timothy J. Longo, Sr. & Deirdre M. Enright

Join Lifetime Learning as we learn about the important work being done by UVA’s Innocence Project and the stories of those exonerated. The Innocence Project is a yearlong clinic where faculty and students investigate and litigate wrongful convictions of inmates throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Timothy J. Longo, Sr., UVA’s associate vice president for safety and security and the chief of police, will interview Deirdre M. Enright, professor of law and director of the Innocence Project Clinic, School of Law, University of Virginia.

45 Peter Newfeld on the Ineffective Assistance of Counsel and Forensic Evidence

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Peter Newfeld of the Innocence Project, Inc weighs in on the topic of ineffective assistance of counsel and forensic evidence. Newfeld spoke spoke at the “Sixth Annual Prescriptions for Criminal Justice Forensics” conference on June 5, 2015 in New York.

46 – 7 Historic US DNA Exoneration Cases.


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17 apr 2020


It’s hard to overstate the revolutionary contribution DNA has made not only to our understanding of biology, but to the realm of criminal justice. Initially discovered in 1953, it would take more than 30 years before the Nobel Prize winning discovery was viable for use in the field of forensics, following the work of British geneticist Alec Jeffreys in the early 1980’s.


While DNA was inevitably first utilized to secure convictions, it was only a few short years before its value was also realized as a tool for the wrongfully convicted. Indeed, as of 2013 all 50 states in America have passed post conviction statutes concerning access to DNA testing, and DNA evidence has been responsible for over 360 exonerations in the US since 1988.


Despite its usefulness however, you might be surprised to find out that DNA evidence has only featured in a minority of exoneration cases in the US, though legal advocacy organizations like the Innocence Project are working to change that. Combined with continuous improvements to the science, DNA testing has nevertheless earned its reputation as the gold standard of exculpatory evidence.


Today we want to take a look at some of the historic U.S. exoneration cases involving DNA, focusing on some of the scientific achievements, notable landmarks, and their importance to the overall area of criminal justice.


Before we get to the main video, don’t forget to like and subscribe to Crime Zone for more true content like this, making sure to hit the notification bell to stay up to date with our latest content.


With that out of the way, here is our list of 8 Historic US DNA Exoneration Cases.


FOOTAGE USED:


– An Exoneree Reunion: Calvin Willis and Rickey Johnson

• An Exoneree Reunion: Calvin Willis an…


– GoFundMe: Craig Richard Coley | Innocent

• GoFundMe: Craig Richard Coley | Innocent

47 Attorney frees the wrongfully convicted | Localish

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Get to know Kathleen Zellner. This powerhouse attorney is the post-conviction lawyer for Steven Avery, the subject behind Netflix’s docu-series ‘Making a Murderer.’ But long before she entered the spotlight, Kathleen has worked extensively in wrongful conviction advocacy.

48 Case in Point podcast: Wrongful Convictions

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7 feb 2017

In this Case in Point podcast, John Hollway and Jason Flom discuss innocence cases and criminal justice reform. For more information and for additional viewing/listening options, go to www.caseinpoint.org.

Case in Point podcast provides smart, informative conversations about the law, society, and culture. By bringing together top scholars with experts on politics, business, health, education, and science, Case in Point gives an in-depth look at how the law touches every part of our lives.

49 Why I Care About Criminal Injustice | Jason Flom | TEDxLuziraPrison

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Jason Flom describes his journey from being a wannabe Jimi Hendrix to music industry mogul and from a drug addicted college dropout to a pioneer in criminal justice reform. On January 31st, 1992, he read an article in the newspaper that set him on a mission to end mass incarceration. He has spent over 25 years working to free the innocent, reform the bail system, eliminate mandatory sentencing, abolish the death penalty and end the war on drugs. In this personal and inspiring talk, Flom recounts his journey and powerfully reminds us that we can all make a difference. Jason Flom is the Founder & CEO of Lava Media, and Founding Board Member at The Innocence Project. Jason Flom is the Founder and CEO of Lava Records and Lava Music Publishing. Flom previously served as Chairman and CEO at Atlantic Records, Virgin Records, and Capitol Music Group and is personally responsible for discovering superstars such as Katy Perry, Lorde, and Kid Rock. He is the founding board member of the Innocence Project and serves on the boards of several other criminal justice reform organizations including Families Against Mandatory Minimums, The Drug Policy Alliance, The Anti-Recidivism Coalition and NYU Prison Education Program. Jason Flom is the host of the hit podcast, Wrongful Conviction, which features interviews with men and women who have spent decades in prison for crimes they did not commit. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

50 When Police Corruption Puts An Innocent Man Behind Bars | Innocence Network | Real Crime

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In Brooklyn in 1988, a Vietnam veteran, Barry Gibbs, is convicted of the murder of a sex worker after an eyewitness names him as the woman’s killer; the veteran does not understand the conviction or how he came to be involved in the case at all.

51 Justice for Rodney Reed at Cardozo Law School

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Texas scheduled the execution of Innocence Project client Rodney Reed for Nov. 20, 2019, despite substantial evidence that exonerates him and implicates the murder victim’s fiancé Jimmy Fennell. On October 16, Cardozo Law School hosted a screening of A Plea for Justice: Why Texas Will be Executing an Innocent Man about Rodney’s case, followed by a discussion with his family Rodrick Reed and Uwana Akpan, legal team Bryce Benjet and Clare Haugh, and moderator Cardozo Law School professor Kathryn Milller.

52 Is Texas About to Execute an Innocent Man? Rodney Reed’s Family Demands Retrial Amid New Evidence

The state of Texas is facing growing calls to halt the upcoming execution of Rodney Reed, an African-American man who has spent over 20 years on death row for a rape and murder he says he did not commit. A group of 26 Texas lawmakers — including both Democrats and Republicans — have written a letter this week to Governor Greg Abbott to stop the execution planned for November 20. More than 1.4 million people have signed an online petition to save Reed’s life. Supporters include celebrities Kim Kardashian West, Rihanna and Meek Mill. Reed was sentenced to die after being convicted of the 1996 murder of a 19-year-old white woman, Stacey Stites, with whom he was having an affair. But since Reed’s trial, substantial evidence has emerged implicating Stites’s then-financé, a white police officer named Jimmy Fennell, who was later jailed on kidnapping and rape charges in another case. In a major development, a man who spent time in jail with Fennell signed an affidavit last month asserting that Fennell had admitted in prison that he had killed his financée because she was having an affair with a black man. We speak with Rodney Reed’s brother Rodrick Reed, his sister-in-law Uwana Akpan and lawyer Bryce Benjet of the Innocence Project.
 

Rodney Reed’s case had gained significant attention and controversy due to his claims of innocence and concerns about the fairness of his trial. Here are the key points of his case up to that point:

  1. Arrest and Conviction: Rodney Reed, an African-American man, was convicted of the 1996 rape and murder of Stacey Stites, a white woman, in Bastrop, Texas. Reed was arrested based on DNA evidence found on the victim’s body.

  2. Allegations of Innocence: From the beginning, Reed maintained his innocence and claimed that he did not commit the crime. He alleged that he had a consensual sexual relationship with Stacey Stites, which would explain the DNA found on her body.

  3. New Evidence and Supporters: Over the years, Reed’s case gained attention from various advocacy groups, celebrities, and legal experts who believed in his innocence. New evidence emerged, including witness statements and forensic experts challenging the timeline of the crime and the accuracy of the evidence presented at trial.

  4. Controversial Trial: The trial itself was criticized for potential racial bias and inadequate legal representation. Some argued that Reed did not receive a fair trial due to the racial dynamics in the case and the quality of his defense.

  5. Stay of Execution: Reed came close to being executed multiple times, but each time, his execution was stayed due to the emergence of new evidence and the growing public attention surrounding his case. These stays provided an opportunity for his legal team to present his claims of innocence in court.

  6. Appeals and Legal Proceedings: Reed’s case went through multiple rounds of appeals and legal proceedings, with his defense team presenting new evidence and arguments challenging his conviction. The appeals process aimed to review the legitimacy of his conviction and consider the newly presented evidence.

  7. Focus on DNA Evidence: A key point of contention was the DNA evidence found on the victim’s body. Reed’s supporters argued that this evidence should be reexamined, given the possibility of a consensual relationship between Reed and Stites.

  8. Public Awareness and Advocacy: Reed’s case garnered widespread attention and support from activists, celebrities, and organizations advocating against the death penalty and for criminal justice reform. This spotlight led to increased scrutiny of the case and pressure on the legal system to thoroughly review the evidence and circumstances.

  9. Ongoing Legal Developments: As of my last update in September 2021, the case was in a state of flux, with legal proceedings ongoing. The courts were considering the new evidence and arguments presented by Reed’s defense team.

53 KVUE Crime Files: The Case of Rodney Reed | KVUE

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Rodney Reed is scheduled to be executed Nov. 20. Supporters say facts have been ignored, while the State stands by its verdict. We took an in-depth look at the case.

54 China Town, Chinese Rules Prank

17 apr. 2015

 

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